Police recover more illegal guns in Chicago than any other U.S. city, officials say

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CHICAGO –The 5,000th gun taken off Chicago’s streets this year was found in a vacant lot between two homes in West Garfield Park Sunday. Police say it was fired by a juvenile suspect before it was recovered in the area. Luckily, no one was hurt.

Compared to this time last year, CPD has recovered nearly 25% more guns, according to Chicago Police Superintendent Eddie Johnson.

“CPD recovers more total guns than any police department in the United States,” Johnson said.

Johnson held a press conference in the lot where the 5,000th gun was recovered to express support for new legislation introduced in the Illinois State Senate that would keep gun offenders in jail longer.

“Until we get serious about holding repeat gun offenders accountable and keeping them out of our neighborhoods, we’re going to continue to see many lives lost in the city of Chicago,” Johnson said.

According to Johnson, 1,400 people are driving the violence in the West Side communities encompassed by the 11th and 15th police districts.

“Until we hold them accountable for their actions, we’re gonna continue to see this violence,” Johnson said.

West Garfield Park resident Sherrodd Cobbins said he heard gunshots from that 5,000th gun recovered by police. He said he doesn’t want to see the boy who fired those shots out of jail and back in his neighborhood with another gun.

“A kid with a gun is like driving a car with no brakes; It’s gonna lead to disaster,” Cobbins said.

When asked how many illegal guns are on Chicago streets on any given day, Johnson couldn’t put a number on it but said it was “huge."